Shrouded Eyes of Green
by Isabel DeVore
Summary: In the Valley of Shadows lies a dangerous and evil place forgotten long ago, foolsihly Legolas and company stumbles into it's mystyfing lands. Do the creatures that live there want to hurt them or want to be helped? And who is the mythical Goblin Queen?
1. Prologue

title: Shrouded Eyes of Green  
author: Isabel DeVore  
rating: pg-13  
disclaimer/claimer: I don't own anything that I didn't make up. J.R.R.T. and whatnot owns way over half the stuff I'm writing about but that other little sliver is mine. So take it and die. :-)  
e-mail: Stardustpixie01@hotmail.com  
other: please read and review. or e-mail me! btw: I changed some things around to fit what I needed/wanted for this story. yes I have read the books, I just choose to rearrange, move, delete, and add to it a bit. :-p  
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Prologue   
  
In the glorious days of old there had been four great Elven kingdoms. There was the lovely Rivendell sitting on the side of the cliff above the water so clear, the strangely beautiful Mirkwood with it's dangerous creatures hiding in the deepest corners of the area , the almost holy Kingdom of Lothlorien, and the bordering darkness and eerie mystery of the Moving Forest. The four Kingdoms were great and wondrous as any Elven land could be. Each was rich in culture and magic. But the Moving Forest was the grandest by far of all four.  
  
  
There were stone statues made of the grand rocks found in the forest that depicted all the creatures on the old lists and were found all around the great forest kingdom. Fountains made of old curving reeds sprouted and sprayed crystalline blue pond water in the most beautiful ways for miles. And the giant gray Sleeping Silver trees bound together to make the palace while the smaller red Futhermoor trees made up the houses and shops of the kingdom. Roads were of yellow rice grass and wild flowers the color of the golden and red hues of the sunset sprinkled the ground. Through out the living kingdom animals that seemed wild to any other race were walking and talking with the Elven inhabitants. Eternal life was great in the forest and the creatures as well as the Elfs saw many a wondrous things. Unlike Rivendell or the Lady of the Wood's kingdom that were hidden away from the world that knew nothing about them or like the lands of the kingdom of Mirkwood that held all sorts of dangerous creatures, the Moving Forest was very different. For the Moving Forest held to it's name, the land was never in the same place twice. Since the beginning of a time that no one remembers the mystifying wood has always roamed from place to place. It's whole entire terrain was alive and moved with the seasons to always stay green taking any and all who reside within it.  
  
  
But then as the Valas would have it fate dealt the Kingdom of the Moving Forest an ugly hand. The forest moved to the Valley of Shadows bordering the evil lands of Mordor. At first the Elfs and the forest creatures were content with their new area but when the spring and summer had passed, autumn was there, and winter was closing near, still the forest did not move. Only danger could be seen ahead now. With the Moving Forest halted for an unknown reason and winter on it's way the Elf's began to worry more about the ghostly, wicked shadows of Mordor coming closer with every passing day.  
  
  
Then one night the shadows crept into the forest kingdom with a deadly silence. But the silence didn't last for long and was soon filled with the Elven screams of pain and torment. In a matter of a few days the shadowy darkness had spread through out the whole kingdom consuming every Elf in it's path. Taking them for it's own and mutilating their bodies and killing their immortal souls. Every Elf was now what it feared to ever become, an Orc. Alas, for those few days that the shadow passed through the sun never came up and when the shadow had gone leaving mass turmoil in it's wake the sun came back. But now the woods were far to dark for the rays to enter leaving the Moving Forest in eternal darkness.  
  
  
When news of what happened to the Moving Forest came to the other three kingdoms the rulers of the lands closed their doors to the once Elven people. With no one to turn to and no where to go the Orcs went back to the Moving Forest to live on. From then on the Orcs of the Moving Forest Kingdom lived in the darkness of their land. Sauron came to them once in the beginning, calling on them to join him. Many did leave to become his minions but some stayed, trying to cling to the memories of the light they once had. But soon the years began to grow and a hundred years and more had gone by. Over the time the understanding for the other Elven kingdom's refusal to help them turned to hatred for all Elfs, and the memories of the light faded into a dream, then a myth, and soon fell out of knowledge completely. And the War of the Ring comes closer to the long forgotten Moving Forest as the winter winds blow through the old kingdom's hallow trees.  
  
  
to continue or not to continue...that is the question. 


	2. Chapter One: Tidings from the West Wind

title: Shrouded Eyes of Green  
author: Isabella DeVore  
rating: Pg-13  
claims: J.R.R.T. owns the world and all in it not I but I do own what plopped out of my own little head.  
e-mail: Stardustpixie01@hotmail.com  
other: Please read and review. Also, everything written in Tempus Sans ITC means it's begin spoken in Orcish. Just so you know.  
  
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Chapter One: Tidings from the West Wind  
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The Valas never hear our screams.  
  
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The chilling wind blew through the land, making a sound like the wailing dead do, telling all that winter grew near. As it whipped it's way around the dead and dying trees of the old forest it picked up the dried, brown leaves off the black forest floor, causing them to rustle in the strong wind's currents. Erie howls echoed off in the distance and the sound of something cracking under weight could be heard. Sitting up in the branch of an old, long dead Futhermoor tree, two creatures watched the shadows near them slither about recklessly.   
  
"Why do the blasted wind only give bad tidings?" A raspy, frustrated voice inquired.  
  
"Etcht*! Only the Valas knows why!" Another voice croaked out.  
  
"Ha-Ho**! The Valas, eh? What they knows or care?" The raspy one snapped back.  
  
"Ha-Ho! The Valas knows all! They be the ones who let it be. They be the ones who empower an allow. It be them that hear ye screams!" The croaked voice shouted back angrily.   
  
"Be that so ye thinks? Ye be wrong old fool. The Valas hear us not. Do they hear the Goloungs cry all night? Might they be listening to us now, they'd strike us for dead am I not right? And do ye remember the screams that ye made when ye were made to what ye are now? And did they hear ye then? No. the Valas never hear our screams." The raspy voiced creature finished looking off at the dark shadows again.  
  
"Ai-O***...ye be right...for this time." The croaky creature sighed. "They don't hear us. They never he-"  
  
The raspy voice barked, "Silence blasted! Ye ear's pick up that sound?"   
  
"Alla-lou!****" A mud colored orc shouted from down below. Staring them down with his misshapen yellow eyes. " Ye two come down from top that tree! Can't ye hear the shell horn call? Off to the Middle Yard we be going to now. Orders! Orders!"   
  
The raspy voiced orc's tongue slithered responding to the command. "Why we be called to Middle Yard?"  
  
"Hear you not anything?! The West Wind brought in news! News of what I know not, but news." The orc hollered up to the two high up in the tree.  
  
"Fool! The West Wind brings never news. Nor ever comes hear. Only the morbid East Wind travels our forest wood." The orc with the croaky voice spat at the younger orc on the ground.   
  
"The fool is ye old one! The West Wind did come. Look about ye. See us all following to the Middle Yard!" The grounded orc yelled again. "Come quickly or I'll shake ye out!"  
  
"No need for shaking! We climb down. Come old fool. We join the ranks to the Middle Yard." The raspy voiced orc grumbled climbing down the Futhermoor tree pulling his grouchy companion behind him.  
  
The two orcs landed on the ground with heavy thuds. Briefly stretching out their bowlegs they joined the ranks of orcs that marched on to the Middle Yard. As they marched through the decaying forest on the trail leading to the Middle Yard, other orcs would emerge from the wood as if they had been apart of the tree they came out from behind. Orcs large and small, all mud colored with misshapen bodies and yellow eyes marched in a mob. Every so many yards a fight would break out between two or three orcs, usually because they bumped into each other or stepped on one's toes. Twisted hands would meet oblong heads and already mashed noses. Tongues would slash out harsh and vulgar words and then slither back into the mouth.   
  
And for two more days the entire Kingdom of the Moving Forest was in motion. All inhabitants making their way to the Middle Yard, filling the forest with the noises of twigs and leaves crushed under many malformed feet.   
  
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DeVore's Dictionary  
  
Etcht: an Orcish verbal expression. kinda like shrugging but with words.  
Ha-Ho: an Orcish verbal expression. like saying "yeah right" or "whatever" or "are you crazy".  
Ai-O: an Orcish verbal expression. kinda like sighing or saying "you're right".  
Alla-lou: an Orcish verbal expression. like saying "get ya'll's butts out here now" a call to gather the orcs. 


	3. Chapter Two: The Middle Yard

Title: Shrouded Eyes Of Green  
Author: Isabel DeVore  
Claims: I don't own what I didn't make up. What I did make up is mine.   
  
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Chapter Two: The Middle Yard  
  
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Kill 'em not, met bring 'em ere for our Goloungs' ta play wit.  
  
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For two days and nights the orcs of the Moving Forest crossed their dark lands to all gather in the Middle Yard. The whole kingdom crowded down into the square of dead undergrowth gazing up at the once grand palace. The Sleeping Silver trees that had made up the palace were now decaying and crumbling into nothing. The fountains and statues were overgrown with dead vines that held poison still very effectively. The shops and homes were crushed by fallen branches and were becoming one with the ground as death had decreed so. Every yellow eye held it's position upon the hanging door on the palace waiting noisily for what they knew not. Echoes of "What ar wes doin' ere?" and "Ai-O...What hes wants now?" could be heard all around. The orcs grew tired and rowdy with every passing minute. Finally the door barely held up by a single hinge creaked open from the palace. In the dim doorway two long-standing orcs stood tall. One male one female. The female stood smaller than the male, bowlegs in as far as she could make them go. Her oblong, yellow eyes had a kind of caring in them. She wore a cape of yellow silk, dirty from years of clay stains. A crown made of shriveled, dead, laurel leaves sat upon her head where only a few strands of blonde hair still laid.. The male stood taller than any orc has ever, he had only a few strands of hair like the female but his were gray. He too had a yellow cape just as filthy and a crown diseased just as brown. His only claim to a once glorious life was his long, gray beard, still thick by the grace of something unknown.  
  
"Alla-lou! Me once people, ear me!" the orc King's voice boomed. "Intruders invade our lands! 'Mong 'em be an Elf!" A gasp emerged from the crowd followed by shouts of hate and rage.   
  
"Peace! Peace! Me 'usband speaks!" The Queen's voice silenced the mob.   
  
"I call ye ta go about an bring 'em ere ta me! Kill 'em not, met bring 'em ere for our Goloungs' ta play wit!" The King commanded to his army of distorted souls. As soon as the last word was uttered the masses wailed and set off to find the trespassers and fetch them for their master...  
  
"Where are we?" Pippin asked tiredly.   
  
"I think we are somewhere in the Valley of Shadows, but where I am not sure." Merry answered.   
  
"Ah like you know where we are!" Gimli snorted under his breath.   
  
"Hush you all!" Legolas silenced, "We are not alone..."   
  
As soon as Legolas spoke a band of orcs crashed through the trees, attacking with out mercy. Greatly outnumbered the four heroes fell to capture having their hands bound by the strongest iron shackles that Gimli had ever met with his axe. Bound but not broken the four were led on foot by the orcs along an unseen path. Leaves and twigs broke and crumpled under the orcs' heavy footsteps along the path. The stillness of the forest was unnerving to the company the orcs held and fear could have been seen in the two little ones' eyes. On for what seemed forever they were made to walk until the company halted abruptly.   
  
"Where do you think they are taking us? What do you think they'll do?!" Pippin squealed in fear.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that now, halfling. Worry why we have stopped." directed Gimli.  
  
"Legolas what do we do?" A frightened Merry inquired quietly.  
  
"I am afraid I do not know at the moment. But look at the orcs, something is wrong with them. They quake." Legolas pointed out.  
  
"Shala intudi!" an orc shouted at his prisoners, his sunken in stomach growling afterward.  
  
"Oh excuse me but I don't speak Orcish. Could you please say that again in our tongue?" Merry asked.  
  
The orc's eyes began to glow with anger as his hand came to meet Merry's head with a force so strong it knocked him back into a dead thorny Cookala bush. The orc shouted once again, "Shala intudi! Silence intruders! Don't ye knows tha commander comes thisa ways! Silence or ye die!"  
  
"Tha intruders be not dyin' tonite! Or by ye hands, Arhonol!" A gruff voice spoke as if coming from the trees. From the side of the path a large orc standing as tall as an average man emerged, he too had a sunken in stomach like the rest. The mob of orcs parted for the lone orc as he made his way toward the captives, his bowlegs bending and twisting in horrid ways making him appear shorter than he was.   
  
"Who be ye?" The large orc asked Pippin.  
  
"Them don't speak Orcish, Sketzal." Arhonol spoke to the large orc.   
  
Sketzal rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine. Call me sister. She speak tha language de men an ot'er beings."  
  
And then as if on cue the surrounding orcs released a piercing shriek into the stale air. Then Arhonol began to call, "Alla-lou! Alla-lou! Azuriel come! Ye brother call ye to hems! Azuriel come!" Within a few seconds the branches above began to rustle and move with next to no sound and then they suddenly stopped. The groundlings all waited in silence for the one they called Azuriel to come and speak with the captives. Then out of the darkness of the canopy a blur of leaves and dirt fell seemingly from the sky. Landing on two feet and bracing it's self with a hand the creature was still awaiting orders.   
  
"Azuriel," Sketzal began. "Them speak not Orcish but tha languages de men an ot'er beings." He motioned to Gimli, Legolas, Pippin, and Merry. "Use ye words that ye knows up on them. Get on girl!"  
  
The creature crawled up to the four imprisoned persons through the many orcs and stopped. Slowly as if it pained her, she stood tall, correcting the curve of her back. When fully erected she gave a startle to the prisoners, for she was no orc but a human. She stood no more than 10 small hands tall* and was terribly emaciated. Skin and bones was she with her sunken in stomach and bony ribs. It looked like she hadn't eaten in weeks like the rest of the creatures around her. Her mud colored hair was twisted and stuffed into awkward braids, obviously made my deformed, orcish hands. She wore a sort of skirt made from a tan animal skin that came no where near her knees, and was held on by a vine like belt. It was smudged from clay beds none the less. She did not ware a top but instead her long hair hid her somewhat from view. Her skin was completely covered in soil and black soot from the fires kept at night. Dead leaves were all in her hair and a small, long dead, ivy vine was wrapped up along her right arm. She wore no shoes but attached to her leg was a small dagger made of bone.   
  
Gimli immediately covered Pippin's and Merry's eyes with his hands as the girl approached. "Hello, I am Azuriel." she spoke softly into the sour air. 


	4. Chapter Three: The Goblin King's Court

title: Shrouded Eyes of Green  
author: Isabel DeVore  
claims: I don't own what I didn't make up. What I did make up I own.   
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Chapter Three: The Goblin King's Court  
  
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And it is because of your doing nothing, Elf, that we are here.  
  
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The faint sound of her voice was beautiful to the captive travelers. It sounded like an Autumn wind and no one expected something of it's quality to come out of the mouth of the grimy creature before them. But then again she was speaking in the tongue of men and anything other than crackling Orcish sounded better. Still no one responded to her.  
  
Once again she spoke to them, a hint of force in her voice. "I said Hello. I am called Azuriel. Who are you and more importantly what are you doing in our lands?"  
  
"Dear Azuriel, I am Legolas, this is Gimli, and these two are Pippin and Merry. We mean no harm to you or your lands. But if I may ask, what lands are we in?" Legolas asked the girl before him, staring at her with his blue eyes.   
  
She shifted her weight from one leg to another as if suddenly uncomfortable with herself until she finally spoke. "You do not know where you are, Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood? How can you, an Elf, forget this place!?" Legolas only stood silent and Azuriel continued. "You honestly do not know...hmm. It matters not anyhow." Azuriel then turned to the orcs around her and spoke to them. "Listen ta them not! Bring 'em ta tha King as commanded! Quick like!" So off they all went again.  
  
As they walked along the dark and narrow path to the Middle Yard where the King awaited Merry piped up. "So how long do you think we'll have to walk? My feet are already hurting!"  
  
"Yeah, my feet hurt too! And what about some food! We're starving!" Pippin threw in.   
  
"I don't think you'll be finding any food among the likes of these creatures. If anything we're about to become the main course at some tribal, magical, ceremony..." Gimli's gruff voice whispered.  
  
"Ha. Do not flatter your self so. We would rather eat our own flesh before we even think of eating yours." Azuriel sneered and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Then if you don't plan to eat us...then what are you going to do with us?!" A scared Merry squeaked out.  
  
Azuriel shrugged. "I am not sure. Your fate is not mine to decide." For many moments on no one spoke to the prisoners and the prisoners did not speak to anyone. The orcs then became very sluggish as time wore on. Then Sketzal spoke.  
  
"Wes make camp ere! Stop tha intruders o'er there! Give 'em not ta eat!" With Sketzal's orders in place the orcs herded the group over to a near by Furthurmoor tree to lean on for the evening. Five orcs were later placed by them to keep watch, while the multitude made camp. Soon fires were sprung up every so many orcs distance and the smell of something awful floated around the forest floor. After a few hours Azuriel came over to the captives' tree. In her hands she held wood and kindling. Kneeling before the imprisoned Legolas she began making a fire for the group.   
  
Legolas spoke to her in Elvish. "How did you come to be here in this dark and desolate place?"  
  
"I was born here. I have always lived here. Wait! How did you know I would understand you?" She replied back in his native tongue.   
  
"Your name" he replied, "Is it not Elvish?"   
  
"Unfortunately it is. At the time of my birth my father still had a liking for Elfs. But I am happy to say that time in his life has now ended." Azuriel spat at Legolas.  
  
"Why do you hate me and my kind so? We have done nothing to humans or orcs!" Legolas questioned angrily.  
  
Azuriel looked up into Legolas' blue eyes and starred at him with fury in her green ones. "We are NOT orcs! We are Goblins! And it is because of you doing nothing, Elf, that we are here."   
  
"What do you mean?" Legolas' eyes flashed.  
  
"Azuriel! Ye light this fire o'er ere! Get ta cook!" Sketzal shouted at his 'sister'. Obediently, she followed the orders given to her. Hours later when all had eaten, save the four intruders, Azuriel returned to the tree with a small black pot.   
  
"What is that?" Pippin scrunched his nose at the substance in the pot.   
  
"It is food." Azuriel handed the pot over to Gimli.  
  
"Does not look like it." Gimli sneered.   
  
"Doesn't smell like it either..." Merry whispered to Pippin.  
  
Azuriel lowered her eyes at the three and they soon became quiet. "It is all we have, so eat it or starve. Be happy you get that at all, my brother did not see it fit to feed you."  
  
"Then we are ever grateful to you, dear Azuriel." Legolas nodded his head in gratitude.   
  
"You know, now that I think of it, it doesn't seem like it's that bad." Pippin chipped in.  
  
"Uh yeah. Yeah! You know...um what's in it?" Merry asked.  
  
Azuriel replied. "Barluk roots, Cookala thorns, and Slant Beetles."  
  
"Slant Beetles?" Gimli questioned. "I have not seen Slant Beetles in all my life. I only heard about them from the Elder Dwarfs. How do you get to have Slant Beetles here?"  
  
"They have always been here. We never would have even thought about eating them until recently..." Azuriel began but drifted off into her thoughts.  
  
"Azuriel?" Legolas touched her shoulder in question.   
  
Azuriel jumped up from her space on the ground. "Touch me not Elf! Stay from me as far as you can!"   
  
"I meant you no harm!" He tried to explain but she ran from them as fast as her feet could carry her. In the morning the orcs called Goblins picked up the trail to the Middle Yard once again, but Azuriel was no where to be found. On and on the company drove until late that night they finally entered the Middle Yard.   
When they entered, already before them in front of the masses of goblins stood the King and Queen. To their left was Azuriel surrounded by seven of what seemed to be Goblin offspring, Goloungs. With a raise of the Kings hand the crowd hushed.   
  
"Me once people ear me again." The King cried. "Hate not these intruders! They h've come ta elp us!"  
  
The crowd still it's hushed state then cheered like no other hunger has allowed. The four were then set free by Arhonol and Sketzal and led up into the palace. The King and Queen followed, then entered Azuriel and the seven Goloungs. Still not knowing what was going on the four heroes just stood in silence taking all that was going on.  
  
The old King turned to the once captives and spoke to them in the language of men. "I have waited for what would seem an eternity for you to come and deliver us." The King's yellow eyes seemed to soften and grow sad. "Though I am afraid that it is to late for me and my people." 


	5. Chapter Four: Histories and Effort of Pl...

title: Shrouded Eyes of Green  
author: Isabel DeVore  
claims: I don't own what I didn't make up.  
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Chapter Four: Histories and Effort of Plans  
  
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...the Elder Elves have erased our existence from the memories of beings...  
  
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"I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about." Legolas informed the King.  
  
"Do you mean to tell me you are not hear to help us? Did the Elves decide to forsake us once again?" the old King asked.  
  
"Forsake you? Dear King of the Goblins, I have never heard of you! I still do not know where we are." Legolas exclaimed.  
  
"Oh...the Elder Elves have erased our existence from the memories of beings, I see. Hmmm...perhaps it is time I educate you Prince Legolas." The King began. "We were once known as the Elves of the Moving Forest. All as you see it now was once beautiful and fair like we were. But the shadows of Mordor came and changed all that in the blink of an eye. Now we are what outsiders call orcs, but we call ourselves Goblins for we are not soulless creatures like they are."  
  
Gimli interrupted, "If this was the Moving Forest that would explain the Slant Beetles, but where are all the other animals known only to your wood?"  
  
"Much time has passed since the shadows have been here. When the shadows left all life went with them. The plants began to die ever so slowly. When they died out so did the animals and so did our food. The only things that remain are the insects and plant carcasses, which we feed on now. Though even they have been in short supply. My people are in trouble yet again. They are dying fast, those that are alive eat twice a week if they are lucky." the King replied.  
  
"What about the Elves forsaking you? I'm still confused!" Merry squeaked out.  
  
The King looked down at the Hobbit and smiled continuing on. "When the shadow came threw and did this, I called upon our Elven brethren to help us, but they did not. I have called upon them again. They have not answered me yet. I had thought you were sent here by them but I see now you have not. Even if you had have been ..." The Goblin King stopped what he was saying and looked at Azuriel and the Goloungs around her and spoke. "Azuriel! Take 'em Goloungs an ye two brot'ers out o' ere. I must talk wit de ones befo mes alones!" Taking her queue, Azuriel took the goblins and left and the King went on.  
  
"Even if you had have been sent here to help us, it would have been to late for me and my people. The shadows of Mordor are approaching closer again everyday. I fear they will be here all to soon." the King's yellow eyes looked sad for a moment. Sad that his once beautiful kingdom had fallen once, and was about to finally burn. But then as quickly as the sadness came and glimmer of hope flicked in his eyes. "But it is not to late for my daughter."   
  
"Daughter?" Pippin questioned turning toward Merry. Merry only shrugged.   
  
"Your daughter, King?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Yes my daughter. You have met her already, Azuriel. As you have noticed she is not a Goblin, but is a human. Though she would never admit it. But she does not have to die with the rest of us! She can live! You must get out of this forest soon or you will die too! When you leave you must take her with you! Tie her to your horse if you must, but get her out of the wood. I had to watch as my nine children were made into orcs...I would not like to see the tenth."  
  
"We will do what you ask of us, dear King." Legolas bowed.  
  
"Good , stay here for this night and next morn but you must leave on the eve of tomorrow. I will tell my daughter to go to you for me and that is when you must take her and run. She will try to fight you, and you can never break her will. But fight on against her, she must be taken out of this place!" the King cried.  
  
"Of course dear King. We will save your daughter. I just wish we could save the rest of your people." Legolas said back to the King sincerely.  
  
"As do I dear boy. As do I. Now off you four should go. To bed be you." the King ushered the four travelers off to their rooms in the old palace. 


End file.
